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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. present — there
  3. object — an aim
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — a thing
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. row — to paddle
  12. present — a gift
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. craft — a skill
  16. row — a line
  17. craft — boats
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a hole
  24. present — the time now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com